D.C. Court Blocks Military Readiness Policies

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement in response to news that a D.C. federal court of appeals has blocked key portions of the Trump administration’s policy regarding transgender individuals and military service:

“The Constitution grants the president broad authority to establish military standards and policies that ensure the readiness, effectiveness, and lethality of our armed forces,” said Leigh Ann O’Neill, Chief Legal Affairs Officer at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI). “Military service is unlike any other profession. The first obligation of our armed forces is to be prepared to fight and defend the nation. Decisions regarding fitness for service must be driven by the unique demands of combat readiness and mission success, not political considerations. When standards are diluted to serve a radical social agenda, readiness suffers and national security is put at risk.”

This ruling prevents enforcement of policies designed to address the military’s standards for service and threatens the Department of War’s ability to successfully protect our nation at home and abroad.